Top five players to play for both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid are unquestionably two of the biggest football powerhouses, and their derby is one of the most eagerly awaited games of the year. There is nothing like the on-field and verbal sparring that occurs during this game.

This match has witnessed it all, from the confrontation between Vinicius Junior and Koke to that between Fernando Torres and Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite the clubs' longstanding rivalry, inter-city transfers have happened regularly.

Sergio Reguilon is one of the most recent names on this list; he played for Real Madrid before joining Atletico Madrid. 

In this article, let’s delve into the top five players who have played for both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

5. Marcos Llorente 

The Atletico midfielder has been an indispensable member in recent years, but his career started with their rivals Real Madrid. Llorente is a product of Real Madrid’s academy and spent 11 years with Los Blancos. Llorente, however, only made 22 appearances and was unable to establish himself as a regular in Madrid's lineup. He joined Atletico in 2019 and rose to prominence as one of the league's top players.

4. Alvaro Morata

Alvaro Morata's case is similar to Marcos Llorente's in many aspects. He advanced through Real Madrid's ranks before joining other teams in quest of more playing time. Morata scored 25 goals in 63 appearances while he was a Real Madrid player.

He left Real Madrid in 2017 in pursuit of playing time, which turned out to be a poor move because he might have been a potential Real Madrid player following Ronaldo's departure. Before returning to Madrid, this time with Atletico Madrid, Morata was not well received at Stamford Bridge and was even criticized by supporters.

3. Thibaut Courtois

Thibaut Courtois' valiant performances with Real Madrid have garnered him a lot of praise recently. Courtois, however, once wore the shirt of Real Madrid’s arch-rivals at the beginning of his career. From 2011 to 2014, he was loaned from Chelsea to Atletico Madrid for three seasons.

At that time, he became a valuable prodigy. Despite coming from Atletico Madrid, Courtois is one of Real Madrid's most well-liked players.

2. Raul Gonzalez

Raul Gonzalez is arguably the most decorated striker of the 2000s and one of Real Madrid's most illustrious players. In more than 550 Real Madrid games, he won numerous trophies and scored 228 goals. The majority of people are unaware, though, that Raul Gonzalez was once a young player for Atletico Madrid, who saw his potential in 1990.

After just two years at Atletico, Real Madrid scouts saw his potential and persuaded him to switch teams.

1. Santiago Bernabeu

Real Madrid's success and dominance in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s can be attributed to Santiago Bernabeu, a significant figure in the club's history. His impact on Real Madrid and his past are evidenced by the fact that the Real Madrid Stadium is named after him. In 1920, Los Blancos’ greatest president, however, once donned the jersey of their arch-rivals Atletico.

Although the reason for his move to Atletico was never revealed, it was one of the century's greatest shocks. However, before re-joining Real Madrid in 1921, Bernabeu made just one appearance for Atletico.

Cover Credits - Goal.com